Hat-trick for Makinson as Catalans thrash Salford

Betfred Super League

Catalans (16) 38

Tries: Makinson (3), Sims, Bousquet, Satae, Laguerre Goals: Aispuro-Bichet (5)

Salford (0) 10

Tommy Makinson broke his duck for Catalans Dragons with a hat-trick as they overpowered hapless Salford Red Devils at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.

Paul Rowley’s troubled Super League outfit, beset by financial troubles and having suffered a player exodus, conceded three tries in a torrid opening 17 minutes.

Makinson was a serial try-scorer in 13 years at St Helens, but had drawn a blank in eight games for the French side going into the game.

He opened the scoring, and with Tariq Sims, Julian Bousquet, Chris Satae and Matthieu Laguerre also going over, Salford’s only aim in the second half was to avoid a huge defeat and the prospect of being nilled in a second consecutive game for the first time in 70 years.

They managed that as Jonny Vaughan and Tiaki Chan went over in the last 11 minutes before Makinson wrapped it all up with his third try.

Those consolation tries ended a run of nearly five hours without a Super League try, and took Salford’s tally for the season to nine in eight games.

Catalans began strongly as they sought their third win on the bounce, and Makinson latched on to Luke Keary’s kick over the top to score, before Keary’s sharp pass sent Sims over. Bousquet added another before Salford had even managed to hold the ball outside their own half.

Rowley has had to piece together a squad from a mix of inexperienced youngsters, loan signings, and the handful of remaining senior professionals, and it showed as their defence was repeatedly poor in that opening spell.

They have also shown plenty of spirit in adversity and rallied again by preventing the Dragons from scoring again in the first half.

The second half threatened to start in the same way as the first as Satae celebrated his 150th career appearance with a try, before Makinson picked the ball up from a scrum and scored after an arcing run round the defence. Minutes later, Laguerre cut through a flagging rearguard.

Salford were staring an unwanted statistic in the face after losing 29-0 at home to Leeds Rhinos last time out, but they showed character to keep going to the end with former Catalans player Chan masterminding Vaughan’s try and adding one of his own before Makinson completed his hat-trick in the closing minute.

Catalans: Aispuro-Bichet; Makinson, Laguerre, Yaha, Darrelatour; Keary, Fages; Pangai Jr, Garcia, Bousquet, Sims, Sironen, Partington.

Interchanges: Da Costa, Satae, Navarrete, Seguier.

Salford: Brierley. Connell, Marsters, Vaughan, Thewlis. Nikorima, Morgan. Ormondroyd, Mellor, Chan, Hellewell, Foster, Wilson.

Interchanges: Shorrocks, Sangare, Makin, G Hill.